Madam Speaker, I would like to begin by acknowledging we are having this debate on the traditional territory of the Algonquin people.
I would also like to express my extreme disappointment that the official opposition of this country has tabled such a divisive motion. It is indeed its leader and its party that are, as it says in their motion, “exploiting divisions within the Wet'suwet'en community.” At a time in which the country is in the midst of such a challenging situation, how does the opposition think that today's motion could get us in any way closer to a resolution?
It is important for us to discuss the issues and possible solutions here in the House no matter what our party lines are.
Today's motion is not about solutions. It is demonstrating a complete lack of understanding of the complexity, the sensitivity and the danger of the kind of inflammatory rhetoric that we heard this week from the Leader of the Opposition and the leadership candidate, Peter MacKay. Canadians are frustrated and, as the Prime Minister said so eloquently yesterday morning, they expect us to work together to get through this time.
Today we have learned that Deputy Commissioner Jenny Strachan has sent a letter to the hereditary chiefs, with a reassessment of the Community Industry Safety Office, in hope that it will promote continuing dialogue. I do wish the members opposite would sit down and meet with some of the passionate young people who are acting in solidarity with the Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs. The young indigenous people who I met with in the office—